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The Major Works
Samuel Johnson's literary reputation rests on such a varied output that he defies easy description: poet, critic, lexicographer, travel writer, essayist, editor, and, thanks to his good friend Boswell, the subject of one of the most famous English biographies.
This volume celebrates Johnson's astonishing talent by selecting widely across the full range of his work. It includes London and The Vanity of Human Wishes among other poems, and many of his essays for the Rambler and Idler. The prefaces to his edition of Shakespeare and his famous Dictionary, together with samples from the texts, are given, as well as selections from A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland, the Lives of the Poets and Rasselas in its entirety. There is also a substantial representation of lesser-known prose, and of his poetry, letters, and journals.
This volume celebrates Johnson's astonishing talent by selecting widely across the full range of his work. It includes London and The Vanity of Human Wishes among other poems, and many of his essays for the Rambler and Idler. The prefaces to his edition of Shakespeare and his famous Dictionary, together with samples from the texts, are given, as well as selections from A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland, the Lives of the Poets and Rasselas in its entirety. There is also a substantial representation of lesser-known prose, and of his poetry, letters, and journals.
880 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1925
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About the author
Samuel Johnson
4,735 books412 followersPeople note British writer and lexicographer Samuel Johnson, known as "Doctor Johnson," for his
Dictionary of the English Language
(1755), for
Lives of the Poets
(1781), and for his series of essays, published under the titles
The Rambler
(1752) and
The Idler
(1758).
Samuel Johnson used the first consistent Universal Etymological English Dictionary , first published in 1721, of British lexicographer Nathan Bailey as a reference.
Beginning as a journalist on Grub street, this English author made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, novelist, literary critic, biographer, and editor. People described Johnson as "arguably the most distinguished man of letters in English history." James Boswell subjected him to Life of Samuel Johnson , one of the most celebrated biographies in English. This biography alongside other biographies, documented behavior and mannerisms of Johnson in such detail that they informed the posthumous diagnosis of Tourette syndrome (TS), a condition unknown to 18th-century physicians. He presented a tall and robust figure, but his odd gestures and tics confused some persons on their first encounters.
Johnson attended Pembroke college, Oxford for a year before his lack of funds compelled him to leave. After working as a teacher, he moved to London, where he began to write essays for The Gentleman's Magazine. His early works include the biography The Life of Richard Savage and the poem " The Vanity of Human Wishes ." Christian morality permeated works of Johnson, a devout and compassionate man. He, a conservative Anglican, nevertheless respected persons of other denominations that demonstrated a commitment to teachings of Christ.
After nine years of work, people in 1755 published his preeminent Dictionary of the English Language, bringing him popularity and success until the completion of the Oxford English Dictionary in 1905, a century and a half later. In the following years, he published essays, an influential annotated edition of plays of William Shakespeare, and the well-read novel Rasselas . In 1763, he befriended James Boswell, with whom he later travelled to Scotland; A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland , travel narrative of Johnson, described the journey. Towards the end of his life, he produced the massive and influential Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets , which includes biographies and evaluations of 17th- and 18th-century poets.
After a series of illnesses, Johnson died on the evening; people buried his body in Westminster abbey. In the years following death, people began to recognize a lasting effect of Samuel Johnson on literary criticism even as the only great critic of English literature.
Samuel Johnson used the first consistent Universal Etymological English Dictionary , first published in 1721, of British lexicographer Nathan Bailey as a reference.
Beginning as a journalist on Grub street, this English author made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, novelist, literary critic, biographer, and editor. People described Johnson as "arguably the most distinguished man of letters in English history." James Boswell subjected him to Life of Samuel Johnson , one of the most celebrated biographies in English. This biography alongside other biographies, documented behavior and mannerisms of Johnson in such detail that they informed the posthumous diagnosis of Tourette syndrome (TS), a condition unknown to 18th-century physicians. He presented a tall and robust figure, but his odd gestures and tics confused some persons on their first encounters.
Johnson attended Pembroke college, Oxford for a year before his lack of funds compelled him to leave. After working as a teacher, he moved to London, where he began to write essays for The Gentleman's Magazine. His early works include the biography The Life of Richard Savage and the poem " The Vanity of Human Wishes ." Christian morality permeated works of Johnson, a devout and compassionate man. He, a conservative Anglican, nevertheless respected persons of other denominations that demonstrated a commitment to teachings of Christ.
After nine years of work, people in 1755 published his preeminent Dictionary of the English Language, bringing him popularity and success until the completion of the Oxford English Dictionary in 1905, a century and a half later. In the following years, he published essays, an influential annotated edition of plays of William Shakespeare, and the well-read novel Rasselas . In 1763, he befriended James Boswell, with whom he later travelled to Scotland; A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland , travel narrative of Johnson, described the journey. Towards the end of his life, he produced the massive and influential Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets , which includes biographies and evaluations of 17th- and 18th-century poets.
After a series of illnesses, Johnson died on the evening; people buried his body in Westminster abbey. In the years following death, people began to recognize a lasting effect of Samuel Johnson on literary criticism even as the only great critic of English literature.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
June 15, 2016
While an authour is yet living we estimate his powers by his worst performance, and when he is dead we rate them by his best.
By the time you put down Boswell’s Life of Samuel Johnson, you are left with a very peculiar portrait of the man. Boswell’s Johnson is a bull, who tramples bystanders in a stampede of wit. He is arrogant, overbearing, stubborn, and delightfully epigrammatic—the kind of man you would like to overhear, but would not wish to talk to. So cartoonish, in fact, did Johnson appear through the toadyish and eccentric lens of Boswell, that I grew curious to get Johnson unfiltered.
bio'grapher. A writer of lives; a relator not of the history of nations, but of the actions of particular persons
fla'tter. To soothe with praises; to please with blandishments; to gratify with servile obsequiousness; to gain by false compliments.
This was a fortunate decision; for Johnson is, in addition to being a tremendous talker, one of the greatest prose writers in our language. Johnson sits at the height of English eloquence. Although often long and frequently abstract, Johnson’s sentences are, upon closer examination, shown to be masterpieces of brevity and restraint. He never uses two sentences where one will do; and never one whole sentence where a parenthetical remark will suffice. One frequently comes across singe-sentence paragraphs where, without any appearance of labor, Johnson manages to capture a thought that would have taken most other writers three or four busy paragraphs to express half so fully, and a third so well.
All joy or sorrow for the happiness or calamities of others is produced by an act of the imagination, that realizes the event however fictitious, or approximates it however remote, by placing us, for a time, in the condition of him whose fortune we contemplate; so that we feel, while the deception lasts, whatever motions would be excited by the same good or evil happening to ourselves.
The portrait Johnson paints of himself is quite different from Boswell’s. Johnson was a deep and complex man. Although sometimes gruff and opinionated, he often shows an impressive degree of self-awareness. He is not too egotistic to make fun of himself, and never overestimates the value of his own productions. Indeed, Johnson sometimes comes across as painfully aware of his own limitations. This does not, however, make him shy about speaking his mind. The reader is often jarred in the middle of a passage by the sudden appearance by Johnson’s boisterous judgments. Mostly, these were a pleasure, for Johnson was a fiery and witty creature; occasionally, however, it was a bore, for Johnson had the tendency to lapse into Sunday school moralizing.
cri'tick. (1) A man skilled in the art of judging of literature; a man able to distinguish the faults and beauties of writing. (2) A censurer; a man apt to find fault.
There is something to be said for every writing in this collection; but the part that I found most delightful were the selections from Johnson’s Dictionary. I have a particular fondness for definitions. When I first began reading seriously, I soon found that my vocabulary was so poor that it prevented me from understanding certain books. I therefore set about a plan to correct it: Every time I came across a word I couldn’t define, I would underline it, look it up in a dictionary, and write down the word and definition in a special notebook; finally, I'd use the word in a sentence. This collection grew and grew, until one whole notebook was filled. I’m currently more than halfway through a second one.
lipla’bour. Action of the lips without concurrence of the mind; words without sentiments.
bo'okish. Given to books; acquainted only with books. It is generally used contemptuously.
bethu'mp. To beat; to lay blows upon: a ludicrous word.
This project was probably the best thing for my education that I’ve ever done; for you can acquire a great sensitivity to language simply by paying close attention to diction. Also rewarding is time spent with a thesaurus: you can trace out the subtle differences in implication among groups of synonyms; and by learning sets of paired antonyms (my favorite is autochthonous and allochthonous) you can develop new categories of thought. So when I saw Johnson engaged in this same task, of carefully defining, of tracking down word roots, of subordinating the metaphorical to the literal use of a word, I was awed by the monumental learning it would have taken to singlehandedly write a dictionary from scratch. And it speaks much for his personality that, in the midst of this gargantuan, bookish task, he managed to maintain a sense of humor.
lexico’grapher. A writer of dictionaries; a harmless drudge, that busies himself in tracing the original, and detailing the signification of words.
pu’rist. One superstitiously nice in the use of words.
dull. (8) Not exhilarating; not delightful; as, to make dictionaries is dull work.
Apart from this, much more need not be said. Johnson’s work is a feast, and you don’t need my invitation to partake. Though he was a versatile scholar, Johnson had an adamantine personality, which flows like a mighty river through his every production; his booming voice has all the subtlety of a waterfall, and his opinions all the delicacy of an earthquake. Perhaps what is so compelling about Johnson is the strange concatenation of contrary elements; he was a man of petty flaws, and great merits. And, like any great writer, what would be a defect in others is rendered a perfection in him.
stulti'loquence. Foolish talk.
October 3, 2022
SRSLY!!!!! Sometimes I get so angry at my high school teachers and literature professors! This is like the fourth fantastic resource I've come across since I've started my LISTS challenges that I needed them not now. It's like they're afraid we might, oh i dont know , maybe LEARN SOMETHING NOT FROM THEM! And then when people like me who become teachers ourselves would have great resources from which to pull.
No wonder I was such an unpopular educator with administration at my grade schools! Why worry about accommodating? Why should we teach outside of the box? OOOO I'm so mad
No wonder I was such an unpopular educator with administration at my grade schools! Why worry about accommodating? Why should we teach outside of the box? OOOO I'm so mad
November 16, 2017
I like to think that reading this book—an activity which has occupied me for about the last year of my life—has been rather akin to an arranged marriage. What began without love—or, at most, the minutest spark of attraction—has developed, over the arduous months, into a bond of considerable strength. I can't say that I love Johnson; but I feel, for better or for worse, that he is a part of me now.
The following sub-reviews concern what I deem to be the most important works in this collection, and were written at various points during my reading.
The Vanity of Human Wishes: 4/5
I had to read this a few times (over the span of several months) to realize that it is a great poem. The heroic couplets may get tiresome, but that only means you're reading it too fast. Take your time, and Johnson's genius will reveal itself. Good to read in conjunction with Rasselas, as the two are very similar thematically.
An Account of the Life of Mr Richard Savage: 4/5
Savage was the original Neal Cassady. Johnson, for his part, strives for both honesty and compassion in his portrayal of a man who's singular, complicated, and often rather unlikable.
Periodical Essays: 4/5
These essays, taken from The Rambler and The Idler, offer a taste of the range and depth of Johnson's opinions. The essays are short—two-and-a-half pages on average—and are both articulate and engaging. Highlights include the more 'fiction-y' pieces, such as "The Vultures View of Man"—a vignette about a couple of vultures debating the possible rationality of human beings—and "European Oppression in America"—a moving argument against colonialism. While the prose and the subject matter are sometimes dated, the general sentiments contained in these essays are not.
A Dictionary of the English Language: 4/5
In 1755, Dr. Johnson published the first comprehensive dictionary of the English language. In this preface to his monumental achievement, he (predictably) discusses linguistics and lexicography—the value here is mainly historical; but also (more unpredictably) he touches upon the nature of ambition, and what it means—and what it feels like—to attempt the impossible.
Rasselas: 4/5
I have nothing against a writer spouting their personal ideology under the guise of fiction; it only bothers me when it's done poorly—see: Ayn Rand. Like Rand, Johnson's characters often serve as literal mouth-pieces for the author's own ideas. Unlike Rand, however, Johnson can actually write.
The work functions as a(n incomplete?) priamel: a quest for the fount of human happiness. Of course, while Johnson dismisses many possible routes, his answer is not immediately forthcoming. In fact, Rasselas may be looked at as a slightly more pessimistic version of "The Vanity of Human Wishes"—and that's saying something.
This work is also chock-full of quotable passages (OK, that depends on what your definition of "quotable" is). Among my favourites:
Now tell that to your parents!
The Plays of William Shakespeare: 3/5
The centerpiece of this work is the preface, in which Johnson embarks on a slightly long-winded—yet rhetorically admirable—defense of Shakespeare's artistic merit. This is followed by a (not-so-brief) account of his (Johnson's) editorial procedures in regards to the present edition. It's interesting to note how much Johnson's methodology actually anticipates modern critical approaches. Also interesting is Johnson's response to Voltaire, who had complained about Shakespeare's depiction of royalty: "petty cavils of petty minds," Johnson writes back—what a guy!
The Fountains: A Fairy Tale: 4/5
I think "The Fountains" may encapsulate everything I love about Johnson: his cynicism, his delightfully heavy-handed morality, and, of course, his satirical genius. An online copy of the text can be found here; and I dare you to read it. If you don't like it, then you probably won't enjoy this book. But on the off chance that it happens tickle your fancy, perhaps you might try some of his longer works—maybe "Vanity," or, if you're particularly adventurous, "Rasselas."
A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland: 2/5
I can only really see this appealing to the a priori fan. Johnson was never particularly adept at conveying imagery; and, for the most part, his description of the Scottish landscape is rather terse and flat. That being said, he occasionally embarks on a digression worthy of note. For instance, he delineates a compelling (and subsequently verified) argument against the authenticity of Macpherson's "Ossian"; and throughout, he offers some truly sagacious commentary on the effects of Scottish subjugation. Worth reading in conjunction with Johnson's other works, but not so much on its own.
Prefaces, Biographical and Critical, to the Works of the English Poets: 3/5
If these pieces afford any interest to the modern reader, it is in regards to the criticism, not the biography. Johnson, for the most part, had little to no interaction with the poets whose lives he chronicles, so there is little to recommend in the way of personal anecdotes; and, of course, more extensive and factually accurate biographies have since been written. His literary theory, however, is a slightly different matter.
In one of the prefaces, Johnson, with a touch of posthumous irony, calls Dryden "the father of English criticism": retrospectively, that title is better reserved for Johnson himself. Of course, it might be easy to dismiss his theories as parochial and antiquated—here, I'm thinking primarily of his caustic condemnation of the so-called "metaphysical poets" (I can't help but wonder how he would react to the knowledge that Donne, in our current day and age, is read far more than his beloved Dryden). Johnson, it goes without saying, was a product of his time; yet on occasion, he displays insight that transcends the narrow bounds of his temporal situation.
For instance, I found that many of the complaints he raises against open-verse forms (such as Pindaric odes and blank-verse) may, with minimal alteration, be applied to certain practitioners of contemporary free-verse. Take heed of the following passage:
That is to say, to simply write off his critical views as out-dated would be to act with unnecessarily temerity; and would, at the end of the day, only serve to exclude oneself from a genuinely important—albeit obviously non-definitive—fountain of literary opinion.
The downside to these pieces, however, is that the actual occurrences of such critical perspicuity are few and far between. For the most part, Johnson contents himself with the mere expression of how much he likes or dislikes a particular poet or work, with relatively little time given to articulating the specific reasons behind his sentiments. Nonetheless, these ten prefaces represent a milestone in literary criticism; and Johnson's achievement is much more palpable—not to mention more palatable—when this is kept in mind.
Diaries and Letters: 3/5
Despite the editor's suggestion that Johnson's journals form part of "a programme of 'self-pyschoanalysis' to mitigate the deep depression he suffered," the previous entry is about as candid and intimate as they get. That is not to say they are without interest, merely that if one wishes to gain insight into the inner-workings of the man's mind, they ought to look elsewhere (namely, Boswell's biography and, in this present edition, the short Greek poem "Know Thyself").
The letters, however, are a riot: particularly those addressed to the Edward Cave, Earl of Chesterfield and, of course, James McPherson, in which the reader finds Johnson at his confrontational best.
The following sub-reviews concern what I deem to be the most important works in this collection, and were written at various points during my reading.
The Vanity of Human Wishes: 4/5
I had to read this a few times (over the span of several months) to realize that it is a great poem. The heroic couplets may get tiresome, but that only means you're reading it too fast. Take your time, and Johnson's genius will reveal itself. Good to read in conjunction with Rasselas, as the two are very similar thematically.
An Account of the Life of Mr Richard Savage: 4/5
Savage was the original Neal Cassady. Johnson, for his part, strives for both honesty and compassion in his portrayal of a man who's singular, complicated, and often rather unlikable.
Periodical Essays: 4/5
These essays, taken from The Rambler and The Idler, offer a taste of the range and depth of Johnson's opinions. The essays are short—two-and-a-half pages on average—and are both articulate and engaging. Highlights include the more 'fiction-y' pieces, such as "The Vultures View of Man"—a vignette about a couple of vultures debating the possible rationality of human beings—and "European Oppression in America"—a moving argument against colonialism. While the prose and the subject matter are sometimes dated, the general sentiments contained in these essays are not.
A Dictionary of the English Language: 4/5
In 1755, Dr. Johnson published the first comprehensive dictionary of the English language. In this preface to his monumental achievement, he (predictably) discusses linguistics and lexicography—the value here is mainly historical; but also (more unpredictably) he touches upon the nature of ambition, and what it means—and what it feels like—to attempt the impossible.
Rasselas: 4/5
I have nothing against a writer spouting their personal ideology under the guise of fiction; it only bothers me when it's done poorly—see: Ayn Rand. Like Rand, Johnson's characters often serve as literal mouth-pieces for the author's own ideas. Unlike Rand, however, Johnson can actually write.
The work functions as a(n incomplete?) priamel: a quest for the fount of human happiness. Of course, while Johnson dismisses many possible routes, his answer is not immediately forthcoming. In fact, Rasselas may be looked at as a slightly more pessimistic version of "The Vanity of Human Wishes"—and that's saying something.
This work is also chock-full of quotable passages (OK, that depends on what your definition of "quotable" is). Among my favourites:
When the desultory levity of youth has settled into regularity, it is soon succeeded by pride ashamed to yield, or obstinacy delighting to contend.
Now tell that to your parents!
The Plays of William Shakespeare: 3/5
The centerpiece of this work is the preface, in which Johnson embarks on a slightly long-winded—yet rhetorically admirable—defense of Shakespeare's artistic merit. This is followed by a (not-so-brief) account of his (Johnson's) editorial procedures in regards to the present edition. It's interesting to note how much Johnson's methodology actually anticipates modern critical approaches. Also interesting is Johnson's response to Voltaire, who had complained about Shakespeare's depiction of royalty: "petty cavils of petty minds," Johnson writes back—what a guy!
The Fountains: A Fairy Tale: 4/5
I think "The Fountains" may encapsulate everything I love about Johnson: his cynicism, his delightfully heavy-handed morality, and, of course, his satirical genius. An online copy of the text can be found here; and I dare you to read it. If you don't like it, then you probably won't enjoy this book. But on the off chance that it happens tickle your fancy, perhaps you might try some of his longer works—maybe "Vanity," or, if you're particularly adventurous, "Rasselas."
A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland: 2/5
I can only really see this appealing to the a priori fan. Johnson was never particularly adept at conveying imagery; and, for the most part, his description of the Scottish landscape is rather terse and flat. That being said, he occasionally embarks on a digression worthy of note. For instance, he delineates a compelling (and subsequently verified) argument against the authenticity of Macpherson's "Ossian"; and throughout, he offers some truly sagacious commentary on the effects of Scottish subjugation. Worth reading in conjunction with Johnson's other works, but not so much on its own.
Prefaces, Biographical and Critical, to the Works of the English Poets: 3/5
If these pieces afford any interest to the modern reader, it is in regards to the criticism, not the biography. Johnson, for the most part, had little to no interaction with the poets whose lives he chronicles, so there is little to recommend in the way of personal anecdotes; and, of course, more extensive and factually accurate biographies have since been written. His literary theory, however, is a slightly different matter.
In one of the prefaces, Johnson, with a touch of posthumous irony, calls Dryden "the father of English criticism": retrospectively, that title is better reserved for Johnson himself. Of course, it might be easy to dismiss his theories as parochial and antiquated—here, I'm thinking primarily of his caustic condemnation of the so-called "metaphysical poets" (I can't help but wonder how he would react to the knowledge that Donne, in our current day and age, is read far more than his beloved Dryden). Johnson, it goes without saying, was a product of his time; yet on occasion, he displays insight that transcends the narrow bounds of his temporal situation.
For instance, I found that many of the complaints he raises against open-verse forms (such as Pindaric odes and blank-verse) may, with minimal alteration, be applied to certain practitioners of contemporary free-verse. Take heed of the following passage:
This lax and lawless versification so much concealed the deficiencies of the barren and flattered the laziness of the idle that it immediately overspread our books of poetry.
That is to say, to simply write off his critical views as out-dated would be to act with unnecessarily temerity; and would, at the end of the day, only serve to exclude oneself from a genuinely important—albeit obviously non-definitive—fountain of literary opinion.
The downside to these pieces, however, is that the actual occurrences of such critical perspicuity are few and far between. For the most part, Johnson contents himself with the mere expression of how much he likes or dislikes a particular poet or work, with relatively little time given to articulating the specific reasons behind his sentiments. Nonetheless, these ten prefaces represent a milestone in literary criticism; and Johnson's achievement is much more palpable—not to mention more palatable—when this is kept in mind.
Diaries and Letters: 3/5
April 13, 1775. Maundy Thursday. Of the use of time or my commendation of myself I thought no more, but lost life in restless nights and broken days, till this week awaked my attention.
This year has passed with very little improvement, perhaps with diminution of knowledge. Much time I have not left. Infirmities oppress me. But much remains to be done. I hope to rise at eight or sooner in the morning.
Despite the editor's suggestion that Johnson's journals form part of "a programme of 'self-pyschoanalysis' to mitigate the deep depression he suffered," the previous entry is about as candid and intimate as they get. That is not to say they are without interest, merely that if one wishes to gain insight into the inner-workings of the man's mind, they ought to look elsewhere (namely, Boswell's biography and, in this present edition, the short Greek poem "Know Thyself").
The letters, however, are a riot: particularly those addressed to the Edward Cave, Earl of Chesterfield and, of course, James McPherson, in which the reader finds Johnson at his confrontational best.
March 25, 2011
Okay, I'm weird. I have an unaccountable affinity for Samuel Johnson, that giant of the 18th century, whose work is often considered ponderous and dated these days. He was conservative, moralistic, and religiously orthodox; these are all traits which don't appeal to me. But I love his writing - a good portion of it, anyway. There's a melancholy in much of his work which touches me - an awareness that much of what happens to us is out of our hands, and that life is short, and death is certain.
His writing is the antithesis of how we're taught to write today. He constructs long, complex sentences full of subordinate clauses, but those sentences are worthy of the depth and complexity of Johnson's thought.
This is probably the best single-volume collection of Johnson's work. It includes poetry, The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia (the closest thing to a novel Johnson ever wrote), a selection of his periodical essays, selections from his Lives of the Poets, and lots of short occasional prose. Nobody is going to respond to all of this equally, but those who admire Johnson's style will find much to enjoy here. My favorites are the best of the essays from The Rambler, The Idler, and The Adventurer (three magazines for which Johnson provided weekly essays), Rasselas, and three of his poems, the long poems "London" and "The Vanity of Human Wishes," and the biting, satirical "To Sir John Lade, on His Coming of Age."
His writing is the antithesis of how we're taught to write today. He constructs long, complex sentences full of subordinate clauses, but those sentences are worthy of the depth and complexity of Johnson's thought.
This is probably the best single-volume collection of Johnson's work. It includes poetry, The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia (the closest thing to a novel Johnson ever wrote), a selection of his periodical essays, selections from his Lives of the Poets, and lots of short occasional prose. Nobody is going to respond to all of this equally, but those who admire Johnson's style will find much to enjoy here. My favorites are the best of the essays from The Rambler, The Idler, and The Adventurer (three magazines for which Johnson provided weekly essays), Rasselas, and three of his poems, the long poems "London" and "The Vanity of Human Wishes," and the biting, satirical "To Sir John Lade, on His Coming of Age."
April 15, 2012
Because of the influence of Harold Bloom and Michael Wenzl, I have become a Johnsonian reader (to say that I am a Johnsonian critic is perhaps going too far and overtly flattering myself), and I am consistently amazed by my conversations with people who have no basis for analyzing or evaluating human creativity beyond, "duh, I don't know, I just liked it." Aesthetic pleasure as a critical paradigm is fine, but please learn to enunciate that, people. You might start in the training of your brain by reading Johnson.
February 18, 2017
Johnson is the greatest critic in the language; not least because he writes for the common reader and because he is at pains to illuminate the texts he examines and not complicate them (cf. any number of modern critics).
April 22, 2019
Samuel Johnson walks us through, not only how to think, but how to write. Not every essay is of equal value. Further, Johnson is often responding to minute controversies in English life, for which even Google might not avail the modern reader.
Still, it is a feast on words.
Definition of wit: it is that which he [the reader; the critic] never found wonders how he missed it (Johnson 677).
Poetry
The poems are uneven, but his London, if historically anachronistic, is a delight to read.
And call Britannia's Glories back to view;
Behold her Cross triumphant on the Main,
The Guard of Commerce, and the Dread of Spain,
Ere Masquerades debauch'd, Excise oppress'd,
Or English Honour grew a standing Jest.
On the Dictionary
In many ways the highlight of his career. The dictionary isn’t perfect, nor did Johnson intend it to be. But it is glorious and manly. And in his legendary preface he gives an interesting survey of how language works.
As always with Johnson, some words are worth feasting:
“Words are the daughters of earth, and that things are the sons of heaven.”
Method: “The rigour of interpretive lexicography requires that the explanation, and the word explained, should always be reciprocal.”
Sources
“So far have I been from any care to grace my pages with modern decorations, that I have studiously endeavoured to collect examples and authorities from the writers before the restoration, whose works I regard as the wells of English undefiled, as the pure sources of genuine diction” (para 61).
The Rambler and the Idler
Both CS Lewis and Boswell said these essays are what put steel in the bones.
The Patriot. Liberty of conscience is a natural right, and we have no power to withhold it (582). Interestingly, Johnson here opposed the American counter-revolution (584-585).
Observations
Every now and then Johnson will deliver on a philosophical insight that is just brilliant. For example, I’ve long been an opponent of the philosophical concept of “chain of being.” It was common among ancient philosophy but has no place in a creational worldview. Unfortunately, even great poets like Alexander Pope held to it. Johnson describes it as: “The universe is a system whose very essence consists in subordination; a scale of being descending, by insensible degrees, from infinite perfection to absolute nothing” (525).
Johnson notes the problems with such a view: “The highest being not infinite must be, as has often been observed, at an infinite distance below infinity….Between the lowest positive existence and nothing, wherever we suppose positive existence to cease, is another chasm infinitely deep; where there is room again for endless orders of subordinate nature, continued forever and ever, and yet infinitely superior to non-existence” (526).
That’s bad enough, but Johnson now ends the debate: “In the scale, wherever it begins or ends, are infinite vacuities. At whatever distance we suppose the next order of beings to be above man, there is room for an intermediate order of beings between them” (526). This is Gnosticism with its endless pleroma and multiplication of hypostases. This is the heresy the church fought to the death.
On Poets
Addison: “Whoever wishes to attain an English style familiar but not coarse, and elegant but not ostentatious, must give his days and nights to the volumes of Addison” (676).
Milton: our language can’t perform the sonnet as skillfully as the Italian language. Johnson suggests the reason why is our language has a “greater variety of termination, [and] requires the rhymes to be often changed” (702).
Dryden: Johnson suggests it is to Dryden that we owe “the improvement, perhaps the completion of our metre, the refinement of our language, and much of the correctness of our sentiments” (724).
Pope: “If the flights of Dryden are therefore higher, Pope continues longer on the wing” (737). Pope’s version of Homer “may have tuned the English tongue” (745).
On Writing Poetry
“The music of the English heroic line strikes the ear so faintly that it is easily lost, unless all the syllables of every line cooperate together” (715).
Still, it is a feast on words.
Definition of wit: it is that which he [the reader; the critic] never found wonders how he missed it (Johnson 677).
Poetry
The poems are uneven, but his London, if historically anachronistic, is a delight to read.
And call Britannia's Glories back to view;
Behold her Cross triumphant on the Main,
The Guard of Commerce, and the Dread of Spain,
Ere Masquerades debauch'd, Excise oppress'd,
Or English Honour grew a standing Jest.
On the Dictionary
In many ways the highlight of his career. The dictionary isn’t perfect, nor did Johnson intend it to be. But it is glorious and manly. And in his legendary preface he gives an interesting survey of how language works.
As always with Johnson, some words are worth feasting:
“Words are the daughters of earth, and that things are the sons of heaven.”
Method: “The rigour of interpretive lexicography requires that the explanation, and the word explained, should always be reciprocal.”
Sources
“So far have I been from any care to grace my pages with modern decorations, that I have studiously endeavoured to collect examples and authorities from the writers before the restoration, whose works I regard as the wells of English undefiled, as the pure sources of genuine diction” (para 61).
The Rambler and the Idler
Both CS Lewis and Boswell said these essays are what put steel in the bones.
The Patriot. Liberty of conscience is a natural right, and we have no power to withhold it (582). Interestingly, Johnson here opposed the American counter-revolution (584-585).
Observations
Every now and then Johnson will deliver on a philosophical insight that is just brilliant. For example, I’ve long been an opponent of the philosophical concept of “chain of being.” It was common among ancient philosophy but has no place in a creational worldview. Unfortunately, even great poets like Alexander Pope held to it. Johnson describes it as: “The universe is a system whose very essence consists in subordination; a scale of being descending, by insensible degrees, from infinite perfection to absolute nothing” (525).
Johnson notes the problems with such a view: “The highest being not infinite must be, as has often been observed, at an infinite distance below infinity….Between the lowest positive existence and nothing, wherever we suppose positive existence to cease, is another chasm infinitely deep; where there is room again for endless orders of subordinate nature, continued forever and ever, and yet infinitely superior to non-existence” (526).
That’s bad enough, but Johnson now ends the debate: “In the scale, wherever it begins or ends, are infinite vacuities. At whatever distance we suppose the next order of beings to be above man, there is room for an intermediate order of beings between them” (526). This is Gnosticism with its endless pleroma and multiplication of hypostases. This is the heresy the church fought to the death.
On Poets
Addison: “Whoever wishes to attain an English style familiar but not coarse, and elegant but not ostentatious, must give his days and nights to the volumes of Addison” (676).
Milton: our language can’t perform the sonnet as skillfully as the Italian language. Johnson suggests the reason why is our language has a “greater variety of termination, [and] requires the rhymes to be often changed” (702).
Dryden: Johnson suggests it is to Dryden that we owe “the improvement, perhaps the completion of our metre, the refinement of our language, and much of the correctness of our sentiments” (724).
Pope: “If the flights of Dryden are therefore higher, Pope continues longer on the wing” (737). Pope’s version of Homer “may have tuned the English tongue” (745).
On Writing Poetry
“The music of the English heroic line strikes the ear so faintly that it is easily lost, unless all the syllables of every line cooperate together” (715).
November 21, 2020
I have been slowly making my way through this volume for some time now, and devoted a few days to completing the reading while fall settles the leaves and Thanksgiving approaches. I can't pretend to know the period in which he wrote in any detail, though reading him has been an education in who was prominent at the time. He was clearly one of the masters of the literary scene in the eighteenth century and his opinions range so broadly over writers and literature - framed with such assumption of authority - that it is clear he won his eminence by main strength. The breadth of what he wrote is daunting. One contemplates the compiler of a dictionary with awe. His essay on the dictionary was one of the high points of the volume, as was his essay on Shakespeare, his portrait of Pope, and his account of his travels in Scotland. What kept me reading was his ornate style with his sentences long and flowing as the Nile. He speaks with such an air of authority that one believes his judgments of all his subjects when he speaks of literature. When he speaks of morals, religion, and the way life ought to be conducted, he appears more childlike, prone simply to point toward God and the church and say, because of God I am right in my opinions. In an age where that certainty is no longer universal by any means, his sureties are unconvincing. In the end, this further undercuts his literary criticism, since he includes in it many moral judgments, and bases his assessment of similes, diction, and poetics on foundations which he supposes to be equally enduring. It is tempting to call him quaint, though I think that is more my attempt to shrink him down to size a bit. The few fictions presented here are stifling; Rasselas scarcely offers a hint of life, so busy is it in its purpose of teaching and affirming a moral system. This has been a work of reading for which I have only to say that I achieved it, admired the man's mind, and am likely to read it further only to remind myself of the rhythm of his sentences. The last pages of the book are excerpts from his diary and his letters, in which I could see him human and frail and accessible for the first time.
October 13, 2021
Another book completed, and obviously for academic purposes, because I would never read this voluntarily. I will try and keep this review short, mostly because letting it drag on will lead me to insult my professor who loves to hear his voice and ramble on like a fool.
Much like my teacher, Samuel Johnson rambles on about various topics, whatever people are often talking about or whatever he deems worthy of commenting on. He often comments on the published works of presently popular writers and also criticises some of society's norms and rules. The poetry seemed dull, and the essays were too long. The most interesting stories were perhaps any form of content with satire. But I applaud him for disliking Shakespeare, because I do too - finally, someone understands how infuriating and dramatic his works are, for no reason.
I would not recommend this book to anyone. I really disliked reading it, and I spent several days in between avoiding reading it and trying to skin through during my one hour classes on Thursday evenings. Getting through this was nothing short of a chore.
Much like my teacher, Samuel Johnson rambles on about various topics, whatever people are often talking about or whatever he deems worthy of commenting on. He often comments on the published works of presently popular writers and also criticises some of society's norms and rules. The poetry seemed dull, and the essays were too long. The most interesting stories were perhaps any form of content with satire. But I applaud him for disliking Shakespeare, because I do too - finally, someone understands how infuriating and dramatic his works are, for no reason.
I would not recommend this book to anyone. I really disliked reading it, and I spent several days in between avoiding reading it and trying to skin through during my one hour classes on Thursday evenings. Getting through this was nothing short of a chore.
September 1, 2019
I wasn't interested in the poetry, and some of the other stuff also didn't seem to have aged well. I read all the essays from The Rambler, which were enjoyable, as well as a few other pieces from the book which I figured looked interesting (among these his preface to A Dictionary of the English Language, the Annals and Letters at the end, and A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland), a few of the early prose pieces. A mixed bag, not really worth reading from cover to cover in my opinion.
November 23, 2018
Sermon 5 was the only reason I bought the book. It had some good points in it. I realized that Samuel Johnson was opposed to the American Revolution (of course! He was British!) but for reasons that seem to contradict the rest of his thinking. Interesting thoughts but very worldly.
September 3, 2024
I am biased regarding Samuel Johnson's works for personal reasons that I shall not bore you with. However, this book is an excellent start if you wish to become acquainted with some of the great man's works.
May 11, 2018
Pretty good - included his Ramblers, and Idlers, the lovely story Rasselas & how much Johnson hates Shakespeare
July 15, 2020
The good Doctor. Views always appreciated.
September 6, 2021
I read it here and there for about six months. My favorite parts were the small biographies, the preface to Shakespeare, and the novel.
May 31, 2024
finally free
November 22, 2016
My intention was to read only "Rasselas" and "The Vanity of Human Wishes" but I ended up reading all of the essays and poems and samples of several other pieces. I could have read a hundred more essays but the very 'Inside Baseball' biographical sketches and criticisms of the poets put the brakes on my fascination with Johnson, even though I've read Milton and Pope, and was thus familiar with his subjects.
My reading of Johnson coincided with the 2016 US presidential election. Is that relevant? Probably only in that I was horribly distracted and stress eating my kids'Halloween candy while I was reading, so many pages are besmeared with a combination of Reeses' peanut butter cup, bitter tears and rage spittle.
My reading of Johnson coincided with the 2016 US presidential election. Is that relevant? Probably only in that I was horribly distracted and stress eating my kids'Halloween candy while I was reading, so many pages are besmeared with a combination of Reeses' peanut butter cup, bitter tears and rage spittle.
November 11, 2014
Brilliant. Highly quotable. A justly honored essayist and wit of English letters.
"Many of the books which now crowd the world may be justly suspected to be written for the sake of some invisible order of beings, for surely they are of no use to any of the corporeal inhabitants of the world." ---from Johnson's 1757 "Review Of Soame Jenyns."
"Many of the books which now crowd the world may be justly suspected to be written for the sake of some invisible order of beings, for surely they are of no use to any of the corporeal inhabitants of the world." ---from Johnson's 1757 "Review Of Soame Jenyns."
October 6, 2016
Recommended for students of literary history, linguistics (chapter about development of the first English language dictionary) and social customs of 18th century England (essays and letters). Not my cup of tea.
December 18, 2007
He had lots of smart things to say. Of course the quicker way to find out what they were is to google "Samuel Johnson quotes."
Read
September 30, 2010A nice, (and concise) reference book if you like Johnson's work.
December 12, 2012
Read parts of this for my Neoclassicism seminar with Bruce Rose at BJU.
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